276 pages

3 stars

Izzie Dean’s beloved grandmother passes away and Izzie inherits grandma's little cottage. She travels there to clean it up and get it ready to sell.

She finds a notebook that leads her of a long and heartfelt journey of love, disappointment, betrayal during WWII.

Personally, I found Grandma Molly Blackshaw's story far more interesting and intriguing than Izzie's. I wanted to hear more about Molly and found I really wasn't that interested in Izzie's affairs. It was interesting how the two women's live paralleled one another though.

The book was well written and plotted. I liked Molly very much and her husband. I was confused about what happened to the scar on the face though. Perhaps it faded over time?

I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter/One More Chapter for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review. The Opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a lovely book and the writing style was so easy to read. It follows 2 different times in the life of Molly. In WW2 and in 2017. When Molly passes away and her granddaughter Lizzie finds her diary it makes intriguing reading.
I look forward to reading more from Julia Wild if she writes more in the historical fiction genre.
Definitely recommended.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review

Outstanding. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having been taken to Blackpool every year for the illuminations until I was a teenager I could picture the places mentioned and see myself inside Nan's bungalow! I usually read stories which have more mention of the war in the storyline; apart from the brothers being in the RAF and then writing to them it could have been set in any early era of the 20th century. The characters were all really likeable and as with any book it is always nice when there is a happy ending! I hope this author writes more books as her style of writing was easy to read and easy to pick up a few chapters before bed!

After a slow start this story proved to be enjoyable. The emotional journey Izzie went through after the death of Molly, her grandmother paralleled to some of what Izzie was presently experiencing. I loved the idea of Molly's secret notebook being found by her granddaughter. I'm good the restored her grandmother's cottage WWII lovingly. I loved that Izzie shared notebook with Justin. I felt some scenes could have been left to the reader's imagination. Recommended.

This is a very special story which resonated with me. Not only because it was such a fabulous book, but because all the action is set in my hometown, Blackpool! This is the first book. which I have read, that was set here.
Told from two perspectives, it focuses on Izzie Dean finding a wartime diary which recorded her Nan’s life during wartime. The storyline switches easily between the recent past and the war years. There are strong parallels between Izzie’s current situation and the choices and dilemma’s that her Nan faced.
Of course, the war years brought a different view of life, as nobody knew how long they would remain safe for. Choices made, in the blink of an eye, would have consequences which often proved difficult to handle. Thankfully, Molly found that love and support can come from surprising sources.
I’ve been trying to think which part of the story I preferred, and I can honestly say that both timelines gripped my attention. I wanted and hoped for happy endings for both Izzie and Molly. Of course, nothing comes easily and that is the sweet agony of enjoying this genre of writing.
I will seek out some of Julia Wild’s other titles, I enjoyed this book immensely and was quite sorry when I reached the final page.

Two stories from different time periods, one The Second World War and the other more up to date. Izzie is 29 years old and she has just lost her husband. She is sat contemplating what to do with her life when she receives an unexpected phone call from Justin who years before had broken her heart. He was ringing with news that her beloved grandmother was ill and not expected to recover. Her grandmother didn't make it and as her next of Kin and heir Izzy has the task of sorting everything out in her grandmother's bungalow. Among her effects Izzy finds a note book hidden in her bedroom. It soon becomes apparent that the note book is a makeshift diary where her grandmother has written about her life during the war. Izzy shares the content of the diary with Jason and it starts to bring them close.together again but can Izzy ever fully trust him after he abandoned her without an explanation. I enjoyed the book particularly the story of the war time years.

I am a great lover of WWII fiction and dual time stories, and this book takes the cake because I get both!!! I ended up liking both the present and the past parts (unusual for me) and really liked how Julia was questioning her earlier decisions about her first great live. Very relatable. This author's writing was extremely extremely wonderful and obviously did her research. It felt like I was truly in WWII when those passages happened. Highly recommended!!!

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Loved this !
I was totally swept up

A new author to me - I now will be looking for more from them
This is so well written - descriptions are fantastic
Loved the characters and loved the story

A fantastic read

The Power of a Letter

Gripping, Emotional story-line grabbed me from the start. This is a story of relationships and communication. In this age of electronics we can probably never know the true value of a letter handwritten from a loved one. I am sorry to see that disappear.

After the death of her grandmother Molly, Izzie returns to her grandmother's home by the seashore to fix up her home for sale. She doesn't expect to find her grandmother's diary with her story of life during WWII and her secrets she has never told.

In reading it and becoming close to her teenage love, Justin, once again she reflects on her life to date and wonders if her choices were the right ones. She wonders if they could ever reconnect or is that gone forever.

This is a dual timeline book in a sense as it covers Izzie's story in current time and Molly's story during WWII, although Molly's story is told through her journal.

The story brings to life the value of communications and the value a letter can have. It show that sometimes people miss-communicate with each other having negative results when they should have looked at all angles of the communication not just in their own little bubble.

Such a good book and two lovely love stories. It was a good read from start to finish and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Julia Wild, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for my honest review.

“The Secret Notebook” is a first time read by Julia Wild, new author to this reader. I completely enjoyed this refreshing story of Izzie who inherits her grandmother’s cottage as well as a notebook that contains her grandmother’s secret thoughts during WW2…secrets that uncover something about Izzie’s family. The story also tells of Izzie and Justin’s relationship and how her heart was broken by Justin in the past and now his presence is rekindling old feelings. There is betrayal, fear, love, and hope seen throughout this story…and the reveal of the secret about their relationship.

What I liked…Molly Blackshaw story and Izzie’s strong and independent character. What I did not like…some of the adult content. Good plot and story was well-written although at times I found myself flipping pages a bit through some content. A nice and refreshing read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC and my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book tells the beautiful story of a woman and the love of her life during WWII and then a present day romance of her granddaughter. I really enjoyed the historical romance and hearing about her grandparents relationship but I found the modern day story predictable.

The author tells the story via a diary and this is a lovely way to learn about the past. The historical characters are easily likeable and I was cheering for Molly the whole way. I think it would have made a good book on its own without the modern day part that added nothing to the book.

With thanks to One more chapter via netgalley for an arc in return for an honest opinion.
So grateful to have been sent this book as I Don't think I would have picked it myself and I would have missed out on a beautiful tale set in Blackpool during ww2, this is a twin timeline told by granddaughter Izzie about her grandparents especially molly her grandmother and how life tread her and her best friend Dora a truly poignant tale unfolds at the same time Izzie let's us into how her life has gone, her good friend Justin comes back on the scene.
This is one book that you will remember for a very long time for all sorts of reasons a good few tissues are highly recommend. I have nothing but praise for this authors work and highly recommend

I was invited to read this by the publishers and I know it’s an Arc but the story seems incomplete, a lot more could have been done with the Molly/ James/Joe storyline especially at the end, Issy mentioned that her grandpa didn’t have a scar and one flippant remark from Justin and it was brushed over. My views aren’t meant to cause offence as it has the potential to be a great read.

**The Secret Notebook tells two stories. When her grandmother passes, widow Izzie inherits Nan’s cottage where Izzie spent much of her young life. She finds a hidden notebook where Nan recorded her innermost thoughts during the war years…that reveals a big secret about her family. Izzie has a past with Justin from before her marriage. Justin had broken her heart, but being around him again as he helps her sort through Nan’s things rekindles feelings, and finally a big secret about their relationship is revealed. The story is filled with angst, jealousy, betrayal, fear, love, hope and finally resolution, but it just didn’t work well for this reader. There was nothing that prevented me from being able to walk away from the unread pages for long periods. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley.

What a moving and poignant read that really had the tears going for me!!! I loved this book and I am truly moved by it

Set in England, this dual timeline book is about finding and losing love, hope and pursuing dreams. How well does someone really know someone else? Several layers of secrets come to light, some miserable, some not.

In 2017, Izzie's beloved grandmother is very ill and mentions a notebook just before dying peacefully. In the busyness that follows, Izzie doesn't give it much thought until she finds a fascinating diary dated from WWII. The words tell a poignant story, heartfelt words poured out on page after page by her grandmother. She tells of love, struggles, heartbreak and effects of war. I really enjoy epistolary writing.

Izzie's life isn't exactly without heartache, either. Jilted by the one she loved, her mind and heart are reluctant to become entangled once more. What she discovers surprises her.

Molly's story is a fascinating one in particular. I enjoyed it more than that of Izzie. The book was enjoyable with the exception of adult content which took it down a notch for me. Otherwise the writing is lovely and descriptive.

My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book.

Have you ever dated an identical twin? This book features male identical twins and has my head filled with so many questions….aahhhh, those Blackshaw brothers!

“He looked exactly like his brother, his smile a match too, but my stomach didn’t lurch about when his hand closed around my fingers. I thought that was strange.”

This wartime contemporary romance is a heartbreaking wartime fiction about love, loss and family secrets written by romance author, Julie Vince (Julia Wild, pen name).

It is an absorbing dual timeline (1943 and 2017) and quick read featuring (1) a 21-year-old girl and an RAF Flight Engineer Sergeant who make a conscious decision to hide secrets and face their future together and (2) a young widow who discovers her grandmother’s hidden notebook and makes a choice to create her own happiness.

Izzie Dean’s nan, 95-year-old Molly Blackshaw, dies and her granddaughter Izzie returns to Blackpool to pack up the house to put it on the market. She finds a notebook and a sketch hidden away and it opens up her grandmother’s secret past and helps put Izzie’s challenges into perspective. Since arriving in Blackpool, she has reunited with her first love, Justin Swift and just as she decides to forgive the way he left her years ago, an unexpected package arrives.

Two small things would have bumped this to a five-star rating: (1) I would have loved a little more control of the narrative. It would have raised the entire tenor of the novel had the description been used for advancing the plot, character, and theme rather than as mere description. As it is, it’s an on-the-nose narrative and causes readers to gloss over sections and (2) I would have loved the scene at 82% to have been a closed-door scene. It didn’t add to the book.

You’ll love this tale of two women, decades apart, whose expectations of love and marriage were thwarted, yet refocussed and created their own happiness.

To be published July 8, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Julia Wild, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Euston West Hampshire Izzie Dean a widow at twenty nine years old her late husband Rufus famous crime writing author left her wealthy. When Justin Swift gets in touch her nan Molly has been taken into hospital with pneumonia she was on her way to Blackpool. After her death Izzie is left everything the red brick bungalow holds lots of childhood memories and she stays on to sort things out. Izzie still feels a magnetic pull towards Justin even after all this time. This book takes us into Mollys diaries dating back to 1943 WW2. Oh what a well written novel this is that will touch readers. And Izzie and Justin? The end is just the beginning for these two. Izzie was home. I loved this book 5 stars

I was swept away from the first page of this incredible story!
This was such an enthralling read. It was really well written!
Historical fiction...Who knew I would enjoy it the way I did. I think it was the author, she did an exquisite job of describing the scenes and the emotions so well and the story-line is captivating. I have came a long way.
Honey it's nice to take a break away from the thrillers and this book did that for me!
I just loved Izzie......her character is so strong and powerful. I just loved her!

So thank you so much NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and author for this amazing ebook copy!

The Secret Notebook by Julia Wild is an enjoyable dual timeline historical fiction and romance novel that kept me interested throughout.

This was a nice, relaxing read that weaves the tale of two women generations apart (current day and WWII era) and we find that despite time and societal differences, both characters have much more in common with their trials then not.

The interweaving of current-day Izzie and her grandmother, Molly, into one narrative solidified the fundamental concepts of family, love, loss, hope, and purpose. A few twists thrown in added to the story. I also feel that the ending was positive and ended in a satisfying way.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and One More Chapter for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.